7.20.2011

Video done well

One of the many things that KatieP and I share is a love of marrying two art forms to create something that transcends both. The music video is a prime example. Music and film all rolled into one. When it's done well, it blows my mind. One of the first videos that made me appreciate the medium was Semisonic's Closing Time, available here. When you watch it, appreciate, please, the fact that there is no editing on either of the two halves. This type of playing with the form is a precedent, in my mind, to OK Go's awe-inspring videos, one of the best of which can be viewed here. The greatest music videos create a visual atmosphere that doesn't leave your head long after you've seen them. In fact, a video is successful, in my mind, if you think of the visuals every time you hear the song. I want to add Adele's Rolling in the Deep, available here, to my already long list of genius videos. It's truly a phenomenal tour-de-force, marrying Adele's throaty modern blues with appropriately enigmatic tableaus. I think the video was declared dead awhile back. Not so. Long live the music video!

3 comments:

As part of the 1st generation of MTV viewers (when they showed amazing videos and it wasn't complete crap) I will always have a super soft spot for the medium of music video. Remember, I grew up with Michael Jackson and Madonna...arguably the pioneers and greatest artist of music video. That said, to this day, when I see a beautiful, artistic, unique or just slammin video, I am hooked. JP mentioned some amazing artists of the 2000's who still take the art of video seriously. I would love to add Lady Gaga, who is redefining the medium.